These two coastal Florida cities are both great for family holidays – but in very different ways

A family holiday isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the bustling city of Miami or the more serene St Pete-Clearwater region of Florida.

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, gulf coast-based St Petersburg and neighbouring Clearwater was nicknamed god’s waiting room, coined due to the city being marketed as a retirement community known for now-removed green benches that residents would spend days sitting on downtown.

St Pete has been shaking off that image by redeveloping parts of the city, including its pier and beaches, to appeal to a younger audience. Meanwhile, on the east coast, Miami has been pushing back against its reputation as a party district – even restricting spring break parties – in an attempt to appeal to more families.

Both cities now offer beautiful waterfront settings full of arts and culture, and a climate that is ideal for beach visits and pool days, so long as you watch out for the 15-minute summer storms.

As I drove 269 miles across the state between Miami and St Pete with my wife and our 11 and 13-year-old daughters on a beautiful highway through the Everglades and Naples – dubbed the “Tamiami Trail” – I discovered there is plenty of distance and difference between each coastal city’s appeal.

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Two speeds of Florida

Sitting by the big colourful beachside buildings and bright neon lights of Miami around Ocean Drive while our daughters climbed the monkey bars of Muscle Beach, it felt like we were in a futuristic version of London’s Leicester Square. Even delivery robots share the walkways and we stumbled across one that was struggling to cross the road at a pedestrian crossing, valiantly giving it a a push to help it continue its journey.

It was as if we had gone on a family holiday to the future. Travel was made easy in driverless cars booked on the Waymo app that overtook Cybertrucks en route to malls and stores that our girls had only seen on social media, such as Five Below and Target.

This was a stark contrast to the slower pace of St Pete where it was fascinating to see parts of the city such as downtown and St Pete Beach where it is quiet enough for the locals to legally drive golf buggies on the road.

One of our favourite parts of St Pete was Dunedin, which had an unexpected connection to back home in the UK. The boutique shops of the area, named by its Scottish founders after the Gaelic word for Edinburgh, gave a feeling of walking around a mini version of Scotland’s capital. The links are best shown at the Dunedin Brewery, where I enjoyed a refreshing craft ale below massive tanks draped in Scottish flags.

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Family-friendly activities

Keeping kids entertained can be a challenge in any city.

Our girls were gripped by the promise of dolphins in Tampa Bay on an early morning boat ride with Dolphin Landings on St Pete Beach. Our captain, Susi, was from Yorkshire. She explained that she had come to St Pete with her dad for a holiday 28 years ago and never went back home. It was easy to see why as we floated the sunshine amid the calm waters.

With temperatures reaching up to 34C, or around 93F, in both St Pete and Miami, indoor activities are also important. We escaped the heat at a rare “make and take” stained glass painting workshop in uptown St Pete named Glass of Life, where I was guided through each step from cutting to decorating glass to make my own cruise ship design. Unusually, I was able to take it home the same afternoon rather than having to come back to collect it another day.

A short drive away back in Dunedin, our family’s creative side shone during a candle-making workshop at Sea Love, where we could create our own scents ranging from lavender to leather.

Miami, of course, has its quieter – and air-conditioned – spots outside the city centre. We visited Plantation Walk in Broward County, which is focused on creating a pedestrian-oriented community away from the centre’s supercars. We had a stroll here after a morning completing an escape room challenge at Escapology before lunch at Tacocraft, where I ate the best tuna tacos I have ever tasted.

It also felt like there was more for thrill-seekers in Miami, such as at America’s newest iFly indoor sky diving centre where we spent an adrenaline-filled hour as our very patient instructor taught us the best techniques to successfully float and eventually fly in a wind tunnel.

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That was a vastly different experience to a Friday evening in downtown St Pete at the St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. It’s the oldest shuffleboard club in the world and where the rules of the global game were devised. The club has such a big following that it even hosts weddings. My family enjoyed a bit of healthy competition as we learned the best technique for pushing the pucks across the court without them falling off.

Even the museums reflected the different pace of each city. We took a Waymo to the Frost Science Museum in Miami, where our girls loved the immersive activities that put your body to the test, such as parkour courses and a timer to see how long you can hold your breath. The record is 11 minutes but we managed around one.

Over in St Pete, an afternoon at the Dali Museum felt more laidback and traditional as we wandered up a staircase that felt like it was shaped like the hands of his famous melting clock and explored his artwork and sculptures. There were modern elements too, including the chance to chat with and take a selfie with an AI version of the artist.

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On the beach

Both of Florida’s coasts are beautiful, with Miami’s golden sandy beaches offering a great setting for jumping the big waves of the Atlantic, while in St Pete, the powder white sand felt softer and the atmosphere calmer.

St Pete is positioned better geographically than Miami to see the sunset directly from the beach each evening, which can be important if you want a memorable family holiday photo.

Our favourite viewpoint was at Pass-a-Grille, a quiet four-mile stretch of sand surrounded by small bars and restaurants south of St Pete Beach. We discovered that this is where the locals come with their own chairs to just enjoy the fiery sunset.

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Where to stay

Miami: Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel

Miami’s South Beach is an ideal location to base yourself in the city, with access to the sea as well as a range of well-known and boutique shops, restaurants and bars. Just steps from artisan coffee shops serving delicious fresh pistachio croissants on Collins Avenue, known for its art-deco architecture, we stayed at the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel.

The first thing you spot is two giant palm trees outside the entrance that welcome you into what feels more like a boutique beach club than a hotel. There was a smart surf-culture vibe, with lit-up surfboards on the walls and plush cushions and soft chairs among hanging plants. That is where we often found our daughters. They quickly acclimatised to the Miami vibes of posing by or in the pool, as well as using the backyard entrance to the Atlantic where they were equally happy to pose and paddle in the sea on the hotel’s private area of South Beach.

St Pete: Don Cesar Hotel

Built in the 1920s, the historic Don Cesar Hotel is known as the pink palace due to its bright pink decor. It dominates the skyline and was instantly recognisable as we came off the highway and onto Gulf Boulevard. Our girls felt like they were heading towards Barbie’s Dream House. The palatial appearance continues indoors, with grand columns and shiny chandeliers making us feel like we were in the Great Gatsby. The rooms keep the colour palette going, with pink stripy curtains overlooking the beach and whimsy feature walls with giant pink flamingos.

Famous guests include Al Capone, Franklin Roosevelt and more recently Justin Timberlake. We were also treated like celebrities, welcomed with a pink-striped towel to the pool area where it would have been rude to not try the many pretty cocktails, such as the rose-inspired Don Frost and a refreshing Don Pina Colada.

The pink fun continued among the bright sunbeds and stripey umbrellas on Don Cesar’s Barbie-inspired private beach area. The calm, shallow waters of the gulf coast – compared with the wilder Atlantic – made us feel brave enough for paddle boarding. You can just fall off your board and quickly jump back on.

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How to get there

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct to Miami, and to Tampa for access to St Pete. Return flights start from around £450 per person.